


a blade in the dark

by treztine



Series: merciless strength and unbending resolve [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Coil Spoilers, Crushes, Developing Friendships, F/F, Light Angst, Prequel, Specific Warrior of Light
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-02-08 17:10:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12869190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treztine/pseuds/treztine
Summary: They started off on the wrong foot, but a friendship was formed as they uncovered the secrets of the Calamity. Alisaie and the Warrior of Light realize they may have misjudged one another.A prequel toby your side.





	1. unbending resolve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _I suspect that we will accomplish much together._

The Warrior of Light was used to being assigned all sorts of strange tasks. Go here, deliver this, talk to this person, kill things, etcetera, etcetera, and so on. She felt like she'd seen it all and been asked to do it all as she rose to become Eorzea's champion. Nothing really surprised her anymore. However, when she received a certain request from a fellow Scion, she was just that - surprised.

Of all people, Urianger assigned her a task. The strange Elezen had remained a mystery to her since the day she joined the Scions. They hadn't spoken much and when he did happen to say something, it came out so cryptic that it was enough to make her head spin. So when Urianger asked her to meet a mysterious person at Wineport who apparently had a mysterious favor to ask of her, she was instantly filled with surprise and perhaps just a hint of suspicion.

She mulled over Urianger's words for a moment, or at least tried to before her mind turned to mush in trying to recall his highly poetic phrasing. Something about a _“benevolent soul true of heart”_ and _“soliciting thine aid”_ and _“assist however thou mayest”_ or something of that nature. The adventurer admittedly hadn't paid as much attention to Urianger’s words as she should have, but for the record, she often couldn’t understand half the words that came out of his mouth.

Poppy exhaled loudly in frustration as she gently tugged at her chocobo’s reigns to slow the bird. As they approached the entrance of the winery, she turned her gaze upward to admire the cloudless sky. Truth be told, the trip to La Noscea had actually lifted her spirits considerably. The cold, crystalline landscape of Mor Dhona made just about anywhere else in Eorzea seem like a paradise to the desert-born Miqo’te. However, Poppy had already decided that she was going to give this mysterious character absolute hell for dragging her all the way there without so much as giving their name.

Poppy entered Wineport and ambled her way over to the chocobo porter as slowly as possible. She had very quickly decided she was going to be late to the meeting as well. With her bird safely tucked away in the stables she wandered the winery, pointedly avoiding trying to find the person she was sent to meet. She lingered near the entrance to the kitchen where she was captivated by the delicious scents that wafted out when someone busily burst through the doors. Poppy watched as gardeners carefully tended to their precious grapes and admired all the crops and pretty flowers that bloomed on the stacked terraces surrounding the tiny settlement. For a moment she even considered finding Shamani to ask him for a sample of any new concoctions he might be brewing. More Bacchus wine, perhaps.

Before she could indulge in that particular distraction, Poppy absently approached the aetheryte and through a throng of adventurers passing by, she caught a glimpse of someone who looked suspiciously familiar. Her eyes almost passed over them without a second thought, but the snowy hair tied neatly into a long braid was hard to miss. Poppy craned her neck and when all the people finally walked past, she could clearly see a figure clad in blue and white with a large white tome strapped to their side.

She was confused at first, wondering what in the world Alphinaud was doing at Wineport when she just so happened to be passing through. The feeling soon boiled over into annoyance and then anger when Poppy realized he must have roped Urianger into playing some sort of stupid prank on her.

The adventurer made her way over to the newly unmasked stranger, ready to give them an earful of her thoughts. As Poppy approached, the person who was supposedly Alphinaud appeared to be slightly startled by the aggressive way the Miqo’te carried herself over, all bristled with her tail lashing angrily behind her.

“It has been a while, adventurer,” they said in a voice that most certainly was not Alphinaud’s. Poppy froze in her tracks and her ears shot up in surprise.

“As I recall, my brother Alphinaud took the liberty of introducing us when first – and last – we met.” She brushed off Poppy’s demeanor in an instant and spoke with a grating confidence that matched her brother’s. “But for the sake of propriety…Alisaie Leveilleur. I thank you for coming.” The girl smiled, though the smile was considerably less smug than those Alphinaud often flashed at her.

When Poppy realized she mistook Alisaie for her twin she took a step back, very much embarrassed for barreling down on the poor girl like an adder ready to strike. She thought about it and dimly remembered that Urianger had mentioned something about a maiden with a _“strikingly familiar visage”._

Poppy placed a hand on her hip while she looked the short Elezen up and down and took a moment to mentally regain her footing. She may have mistaken Alisaie’s identity, but she was still annoyed about having to make the journey when they could have easily met at the Waking Sands.

Alisaie opened her mouth to speak but Poppy cut in before she could get a word out. “I remember you,” she said as she lifted her chin and gazed coolly at Alisaie through her lashes. “You’re the one who did everything she could to ignore me. Did a damn good job at it too. Didn’t say a word to me, if I remember right.” She tilted her head to the side and smirked, sounding very smug as she continued, “Now you ask for me by name. How _curious_.”

Alisaie seemed quite taken aback by the harshness of Poppy’s tone. Her mouth hung open for a moment, but her jaw soon snapped shut as she narrowed her eyes. She suddenly looked like someone who seemed to be choosing their next words very carefully.

“Yes, you are correct,” Alisaie replied curtly. "We met while in attendance of the Grand Company ceremonies. You were not yet known as the Warrior of Light.” She paused after adding that last bit quite pointedly. “I simply did not see worth in entrusting the welfare of the realm to a self-serving adventurer so easily swayed by banner waving and pompous speeches.”

It was Poppy’s turn to be taken aback when Alisaie’s words pierced her like a barrage of arrows. Her eyes went wide and she was silent for a long, tense moment as she stared at the other girl who looked quite pleased with herself. Finally, Poppy broke the silence by bursting into laughter. She doubled over in a fit of giggles while Alisaie stared at her in utter confusion.

“Oh, this one bites back!” Poppy exclaimed, delighted. It was so difficult to exchange barbs with Alphinaud. His veneer of diplomacy was so thick that it was nearly impossible to crack and his retorts were delivered so pleasantly that they often flew right over Poppy’s head. Alisaie seemed far more straightforward.

Poppy grinned at her acquaintance, suddenly interested in her mysterious assignment. “So, you decided to let your brother deal with me. Sort of a test to see if I was worthy of your time. I s’pose I can respect that. Clearly something about me must be useful to you now, though.” She crossed her arms and waited for an explanation and the inevitable request the Elezen would make of her.

Alisaie seemed dumbfounded by the course of the conversation. She was clearly unsure what to make of the strange adventurer. She crossed her arms to match Poppy's defensive stance and peered at her warily from beneath snowy bangs. 

“I have heard much and more of your exploits. By your hand, the Black Wolf is slain, and his Ultima Weapon destroyed,” Alisaie began to explain. “You are possessed of great strength and courage, that much is plain. I shall need one such as you if I am to see my mission through to its conclusion.” She offered the compliments, but didn’t seem happy in doing so. Yet she remained tersely polite, likely so the adventurer wouldn’t flat out refuse her.

Poppy paid no mind to her tone and waved a hand in front of her face to dismiss the statements. She spoke with very poorly feigned humbleness in reply, “Yeah, I’ve killed all sorts of baddies. But I’m not much more than a damned errand girl lately. You can thank your brother for that. Runs me absolutely ragged, he does.” She added the last part under her breath and her tail flicked behind her to punctuate her irritation.

Alisaie cracked a smile, finally letting her guard down. “He is a born strategist and yet my dear brother would waste your talents on menial tasks. What I propose is certainly more thrilling than whatever he has asked of you as of late.”

Poppy's interest was thoroughly piqued. There was common ground beneath them after all. At the very least, they both shared an annoyance with Alphinaud. A devilish grin crossed Poppy’s face at their newfound kinship. “Out with it, then. What do you need me to do?”

Alisaie looked relieved when Poppy asked. She began to speak at length of the Calamity and her desire to unravel the mysteries surrounding it. Poppy's ears twitched forward with the intent to give Alisaie her full attention, but when she started to say all sorts of things about aether and caverns, the adventurer's mind began to wander.

"...it played havoc with the aether currents, creating vast confluences of aether..."

Poppy's eyes flitted across Alisaie's face as she tried to find any tiny differences between her and Alphinaud that might prevent future mix ups. The same long, elegant ears. The same upturned, aristocratic nose. The same always-pouty lips, though Alisaie's were very slightly rosier than her brother's. They really were identical. And a yet a thought in the back of Poppy's mind hummed quietly and incessantly that Alisaie somehow managed to be prettier.

"...unique waveforms emanated from deep beneath Castrum Occidens..."

Gods, she certainly could talk as much as Alphinaud. But Poppy noticed how anger flickered behind her words and danced behind her eyes, restrained yet ever present.

"...his efforts failed, and he vanished..."

When she mentioned her grandfather, the anger dulled and she grew solemn. Poppy wasn't one to pity, but she felt a pang of empathy for Alisaie's cause. Her eagerness to learn more of the Calamity suddenly made more sense.

"It is my belief that the answers I seek lie hidden within the depths of the cavern. I would have you accompany me on an expedition to find them." Alisaie met Poppy's gaze with a hopeful look as she finally made clear the reason why she discretely solicited the adventurer's aid.

Poppy tilted her head to the side and her tail swished slowly, almost thoughtfully, behind her as she considered Alisaie's request. "So, you want me to be your bodyguard while you run around playing hero in some cave?" The question came out sounding more harsh than Poppy intended and she almost felt bad when she saw how Alisaie's face fell.

The Elezen's lips pursed into a thin line and her expression landed somewhere between determined and annoyed. "I am not wont to rely upon others," she admitted quietly.

"Especially not horrible, self-serving adventurers like me, right?" Poppy couldn't hold her tongue. The comment was snide and Alisaie tried her best to ignore it, but Poppy saw the flicker of anger it caused.

"I am not blind to my limitations. Unescorted, I cannot hope to succeed in this endeavor." When Poppy still didn't look convinced, Alisaie boldly continued on and her tone grew almost fervent. "I swore that I would find a way to restore peace to Eorzea. If you desire the selfsame, then aid me, as you have aided my brother and the Scions."

Something about Alisaie's unbending resolve managed to break through Poppy's pride. Admittedly, she was quite curious to learn more of the mystery surrounding the Calamity. Perhaps even more so, she was interested in getting to know the sibling whose similarities with her brother ended at sharing a face and wardrobe. Poppy uncrossed her arms and placed her hands on her hips as she sighed, cursing her bad habit of saying yes to everyone who asked her for help.

"Alright," she said, finally relenting. "I'll go chase the Garleans away so we can sneak into this damned cavern."

Alisaie looked wary for a moment, perhaps not believing Poppy at first, but soon visibly relaxed with relief. "I am in your debt. You are a woman of action, and I sense that we will accomplish much together." She bowed her head politely in thanks and paused for a moment before continuing, “I have every faith that you will not fail me. Twelve speed your way, Poppy.” She sounded gracious, but there was something in the way she smiled and spoke the adventurer's name that sounded a bit like a challenge. 

Poppy raised a brow and thought to make a quip, but instead bent over into a dramatic bow and looked up only to sneer at the other girl. "I wouldn't dream of failing you, my lady." With that, she rose and turned on her heel, not bothering to see Alisaie's reaction. She took her leave with a final flick of her tail and headed towards the chocobo porter to retrieve her bird. 

Poppy exited Wineport a few moments later and rode off in the direction of Castrum Occidens. She looked up at the cloudless sky and laughed aloud to herself, wondering how in the Twelve's name she managed to get herself dragged into some sort of adventure with Alphinaud's sister of all people. It was turning out to be a strange day, but something about her equally strange acquaintance made her want to prove herself. It sounded like an easy enough task and Poppy smirked to herself confidently. How difficult could sneaking into a few underground tunnels and playing bodyguard be?

\- X -

As it turned out, Poppy had no idea what she was getting herself into. It wasn't as simple as infiltrating one ruin and being done with it. As she and Alisaie tugged at threads, the mystery of the Calamity began to unravel before their very eyes and turned into a confusing web of dead Allagans and dragons. They traveled deeper, deeper, and deeper still beneath the surface and fell into endless labyrinths of ancient technology and deadly beasts.

Poppy brought along a group of trustworthy adventurer friends to aid in the expedition and was glad she had the backup when they came face to face with the monstrous creatures that still lurked the Allagan ruins. They tore through large rooms of somehow still functional technology and seemingly endless corridors lined with corrupted crystal, carving a safe path as they killed all the beasts that stood in their way.

It was fairly quiet save for the incessant buzzing of small security drone that Poppy promptly silenced with one of her throwing knives. She triumphantly sauntered over to the broken drone and nudged it with her foot.

"Y'know," she said as she bent over to retrieve her knife. "I'm glad all the Allagans are dead."

"Is that so?" Alisaie asked from behind her, sounding amused. 

"Well, yeah. What's the point of making all this fancy shite if all it does is cause misery?" Poppy glared at the broken drone that laid at her feet before she gave it a harsh kick and watched as it rolled down the corridor. "Frankly, they were some sick fucks," she added tartly. She thought of all the horrifying mutated experiments she fought and nearly retched.

Poppy heard as Alisaie stifled a chuckle. "I would have to agree with that assessment."

When she turned around, she saw that Alisaie had pulled up her hood. Covering her face was a pair of the goggles that every Scion seemed to always carry on them. Poppy had to stop herself from laughing aloud at how ridiculous she looked.

"What is _that_ for?" She asked, sounding very much amused as she walked over.  

"This device allows me to see and measure aetheric flows," Alisaie explained as she fiddled with the various knobs and buttons that covered the strange contraption. "As I mentioned, there is something here causing a disturbance in the aether." 

Poppy's tail flicked thoughtfully behind her as she hummed in understanding. "So you should be able to see a trail to whatever's causing it?" 

"Precisely," Alisaie replied and a small smile quirked her lips. "Follow me."

With that she was off down the corridor, stepping past the broken drone and ducking beneath tendrils of crystal. Poppy looked after her for a moment and hesitated. The others were still resting in the area behind her, but the adventurer figured the worst of the monsters were already taken care of. She sighed and was soon at her charge's heels, feeling very much like an obedient guard dog. Somehow, she didn't really mind. It was certainly better than following Alphinaud around. 

She trailed along beside Alisaie as they made their way through cavernous corridors and winding tunnels. Poppy crossed her arms and her ears flattened against her head in discomfort. The faint blue glow of ancient technology paired with the yellow of corrupted crystal illuminated their way as they traveled further downward into what felt like the maw of the Seven Hells.

"This is going rather more smoothly than I expected," Alisaie said after a while. Her voice broke through the eerie silence as it bounced off the metal fragments around them. "It is indeed convenient to have a hero on hand."

Perhaps it was Alisaie's way of thanking her, but to Poppy she sounded a bit too self-satisfied. "Glad I could be of service, my lady. Hydaelyn gave me this gift just to get dragged around shite caves, you know."

Her sarcasm was met only with a sigh from Alisaie, to Poppy's disappointment. She fell silent once more as Alisaie lead them onward decisively, but they soon paused when they reached a hall with a multitude of pathways.

"The aether is so strange here," Alisaie mused aloud quietly. She looked around and began to fiddle with the knobs of her aether reading device.

It certainly was strange. Poppy didn't have to see it to know that. It was thick and odd and tugged at her insides, making her feel sick. She hadn't been aether sick since she first felt the pull of Ul'dah's massive aetheryte. It was different there in the hellish Allagan caverns beneath Eorzea. The aether pulsed through her bones and her blood, humming a dirge in her ears that pulled her forward towards something that waited to be discovered. 

"This way," Poppy said and gestured towards the left. Every hair on her body seemed to stand on end from unseen static. Whatever they were looking for was in that direction.

"How do you know that?" Alisaie asked, sounding both curious and unsure. 

Poppy simply smirked at her and flicked the ridiculous device covering the Elezen's face with her thumb and forefinger. "Don't need this when you're the Warrior of Light." 

Alisaie lifted the goggles to glower at Poppy. "Very well, Warrior," she said curtly and pulled back the hood. "Lead the way." 

Poppy confidently brushed past her companion and headed in the direction she felt tugged towards. The cavern soon opened up around them as they entered into another massive pocket of emptiness that was dark save for a blue glow emanating from the ceiling. It was surprising that such an empty space could exist so deep beneath the ground.

Alisaie stepped forward to survey the room and looked towards a massive, pointed spire of what appeared to be rock. "This resembled a finger," she said, sounding amused before she gasped in realization. "And so it should! This is Bahamut's hand."

Poppy felt dread pool within her, filling her with inky black fear that made the fur on her tail bristle. Before she could give voice to her confusion, her ears twitched forward at the faint sound of wingbeats. She leapt in front of Alisaie instinctively just as two dragons flew overhead. They were soon joined by a third that was much larger and wore a strange, jagged collar that pulsed with a blue light shared by the other Allagan creations they'd encountered. 

Poppy drew her daggers as the dragons danced overhead, circling menacingly and snapping their jaws as horrible shrieks tore through them. She held an arm before her charge protectively, urging her to step back. 

"Get the others," she called over her shoulder. 

Alisaie hesitated for a moment as she looked up at the dragons, horrified and almost transfixed by their flight. She met Poppy's gaze and nodded before she turned and bolted from the room with impressive speed. 

Poppy turned back towards the dragons that hovered in the center of their sire's palm several yalms before her. They kicked up dust and bits of crystal with their massive wings as they snarled and exposed menacing, razor sharp teeth. The adventurer gripped the hilts of her blades tightly and stood her ground. The beasts were obviously protecting something. If she had to cut them down on her own to find out what, then so be it.

\- X -

Luckily for Poppy, her comrades arrived soon after she foolishly engaged the three dragons on her own. The battle was fierce, but they emerged victorious. When Alisaie explained that the contraptions around the largest's neck was used to control them, Poppy's hatred of the Allagans only deepened. She hoped the dragons finally found peace in death. 

With the path cleared, the two continued on and found just what they were looking for, which was beyond their worst fears. And so they stumbled upon the cocoon of the elder primal Bahamut; the head that was somehow kept alive, though luckily dormant.

As if that wasn't exciting enough, they caught a glimpse of what appeared to be Alisaie's grandfather. As she reached out and begged him not to leave her again, Poppy felt sadness stir in her heart. When he disappeared, she turned to face the adventurer, eyes wet with tears that reflected the pulsating lights of the Allagan technology that surrounded them, and Poppy's gut twisted from the unfairness of it all.

"There is nothing more we can do for now," Alisaie said quietly, sounding somber as she turned back towards the transporter that would apparently return them to the surface. "Let us take our leave."

For a moment, Poppy was sure the device would simply kill them. She blinked away the disorientation and wiggled her fingers, happy to have all her limbs properly in place. She looked around and realized the device had worked, though not in the way they imagined. The blueish tint of the fog and the bits of destroyed Garlean machinery were a dead giveaway that there weren't in La Noscea.

"How did we come to be in northern Thanalan of all places?" Alisaie asked, giving voice to Poppy's own confusion. She moved to the edge of the rocky outcrop they teleported onto and looked out across the desert.

"Looks like the Allagans weren't as smart as we thought," Poppy muttered. She crossed her arms as she warily surveyed their surroundings, noting the spires of corrupted crystal that jutted out of the rock around them.

Alisaie paid little mind to her comment and began to pace excitedly. Her sadness from before turned into relief and a small, hopeful smile quirked her lips. "But such details matter little. Grandfather is alive, Poppy! Bahamut did not defeat him. But why won't he return to us? I don't understand. This expedition has yielded more questions than it did answers." She chattered on, only pausing her pacing to place a hand on her hip and look puzzled.

Poppy frowned. Something about the situation felt off somehow. The feeling coiled around her, making her doubt that whatever they saw in the hellish caverns was actually Alisaie's grandfather. But she couldn't know for sure and she didn't have the heart to shatter her charge's hopes.

"We'll get to the bottom of this," Poppy assured and flashed a small smile. She swore at herself internally and begrudgingly admitted that she cared. She wanted to see the expedition through to its end and get Alisaie the answers she desired, and not just for the sake of her own curiosity or sense of obligation.

The Elezen turned to her and looked a bit surprised, if not skeptical, but her reply sounded genuine, "Thank you, Poppy. Without you, none of this would have been possible."

Alisaie smiled at her so sweetly that Poppy felt her heart hammer against her ribs and she immediately became flustered. The unfamiliar feeling filled her mouth with cotton bolls and her insides with fluttering wing beats. Poppy's eyes lingered on Alisaie's face until she finally noticed the small, bloodied scratch that cut across her jaw. 

"How'd you get hurt?" She asked suddenly, brow furrowing with worry.

Alisaie looked confused and reached up to touch her cheek, brushing her fingers against the cut. She pulled her hand away to look at her fingers, which were smeared with a bit of blood. 

"Ah, how embarrassing," she muttered quietly as a flicker of understanding lit up her face. "I tripped earlier while taking cover during your battle. I must have grazed a sharp bit of rock." 

"Let me see." Poppy took a step forward and reached out for Alisaie's face, but the other girl stepped away.

"I assure you, it is nothing to worry over," she said as her hand flew to her face to hide the cut.

The adventurer was faster and managed to grab Alisaie's wrist. The Elezen flashed her a look of pure annoyance, but Poppy only smirked in return as she reached into the satchel on her belt with her other hand. She pulled out a bit of bandage and felt Alisaie tense beneath her grasp. 

"It's just a scratch. You needn't fuss," she protested pointedly.

"You're the one fussing," Poppy shot back and let go of Alisaie's wrist to pull out a small bottle of antiseptic from within the satchel. Alisaie eyed the bottle, looking ready to protest again, and Poppy sighed. "Just stand still for a minute. For my sake, at least. If I send you back to the Waking Sands like this then Urianger'll have my head." 

Alisaie considered her words for a moment before relenting. "Fine," she said and stood still as Poppy poured a bit of the liquid onto the bandage.

Poppy stepped closer and used her free hand to tilt Alisaie's chin up and angle it so the dim light of the crystals surrounding them could illuminate her work. As she dabbed the blood away and let the antiseptic soak into the shallow cut, her eyes wandered and she absently noticed how the warm crystalline glow made the shorter girl's pure white hair shimmer a faint gold color. From how close she stood, Poppy could also see that her long lashes were just as pale as her hair and flickered over the steely blue eyes that avoided her. She really was quite pretty.

"What of your wounds?" Alisaie asked quietly, startling Poppy a bit.

The adventurer had nearly forgotten about the battle. She was a bit torn up and bruised, but her gift thankfully, mercifully, eased the ache to the point where it was just a dull annoyance at the back of her mind. "Don't worry about me," Poppy said and grinned down at the short Elezen. "The Blessing takes care of that."

"Oh, I'm not worried," Alisaie replied tartly. When she finally met Poppy's gaze, a smirk curled her lips. "I am simply surprised to see that our Warrior of Light bleeds."

Poppy stared back at the shorter girl in disbelief for a moment before she let out a harsh laugh. "Yeah, your hero is mortal. Shocking, I know." Her hands lingered on Alisaie's face for a split second longer than she intended after she wiped away the last bit of dried blood. "There, good as new. Not so bad, right?" The adventurer stepped away, tightly clutching the bloody bit of bandage in her hand. 

Alisaie reached up and gently touched her cheek to inspect Poppy's work. "Thank you. Now we are both safe from Urianger's wrath," she said, sounding droll, but smiled nonetheless.

The same damned flustered feeling came back as Poppy smiled weakly in return. She turned on her heel and distracted herself by searching the side of the rocky outcrop for a way down. "Well, I'll meet you back at the Waking Sands," she called over her shoulder.

As the adventurer quickly hopped from rock to rock, she gritted her teeth and tried very hard to ignore the loud thumping of her heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in which poppy gets more than she bargained for when she tries to show off for a cute girl.
> 
> when i first started writing _by your side_ i ended up editing out these first couple of chapters because the pacing felt too slow. i decided to rework them and turn them into a sort of prequel. i think it sets a nice groundwork so i hope it's not too boring to read!
> 
> i really like writing these two as they were in arr, especially poppy. she's just a horrible, smug mess at this point and going backwards on her character development was really fun.


	2. merciless strength

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _And yet, look how far we have come._

The display flickered before her, shimmering with the strange light shared by all Allagan creations. She reached out to it with her aether and was mildly horrified by how it almost seemed to reach back. The displays stilled then, pausing their pulsating glow for a fraction of a second only to shatter like glass. As the fragments dissipated into thin air, the aether around them pulsed, creating visible ripples that charged forward like waves and crashed into the misshapen form of Bahamut.

The first coil was disabled.

When Nael had barred their path, all hope wilted in Alisaie's heart. She had thought the Warrior dead, for how could she even in all her fabled strength defeat a being imbued with the power of the foe that felled her grandfather. Yet there they both stood, having pressed onward and completed their task. Their boundless potential and capacity for greatness was truly incredible. For a moment, the veil of anger ever shrouding her mind cleared and she could fathom what it was that her grandfather sought to protect. The realization allowed her hope to bloom anew.

And yet, how quickly and cruelly the tides could turn. Before her, the shade of her grandfather stood once more and Alisaie was thrown back effortlessly, as one would toss a discarded doll. The pulse of aether knocked the air from her lungs and she lay on the cold, metal ground, dazed. When she finally looked up, she saw that the Warrior had leapt in front of her before the shade could deal a finishing blow.

 _"How could you?"_ she screamed, shrill voice echoing around the chamber. _"She's your granddaughter!"_

The Warrior's words fell on ears deafened by the dirge Bahamut whispered. Her grandfather had suffered the same fate Nael had, enthralled by the elder primal. The red of his eyes burned into her and she woke with a start just as tears began to blur her vision.

Alisaie shot up in her chair. She looked around in a panic, sorrow and anger from the dream still gripping her in its claws. When she saw that she was in the dimly lit storage room of the Waking Sands, she breathed a sigh of relief and finally realized she must have fallen asleep. She looked down at the tome that had become her pillow and saw that tears stained the pages outlining the history of Mericydian dragons. She sighed and leaned back in her chair, frowning as she slammed the book shut.

Before Alisaie had even fully woken up, the doors of the storeroom burst open and in sauntered none other than the Warrior of Light herself, who paused and looked around the room with all the confidence of a merchant prince assessing his vault of treasures. Alisaie could do little more than stare from her seat.

The adventurer wore her usual absurd garments: a powdery blue shirt that exposed most of her midriff, white breeches, bright red boots that came to her thigh, long pointed daggers that clinked noisily against her belt. Alisaie wondered how she managed to sneak around properly looking and sounding the way she did, but also found herself blearily marveling at how the short, slight Miqo'te carried the presence of someone twice her size.

"Oh," Poppy said when her eyes fell on the disheveled and exhausted looking Elezen. "You're still up?" she asked, but didn't seem all too interested as she strode past Alisaie. She stopped in front of a stack of crates and placed her hands on her hips, looking contemplative.

"I am," Alisaie replied, voice cracking from disuse. "As are you, apparently."

She watched as Poppy easily hopped up onto one of the crates and proceeded to shove her arm between two more stacked above her. "I was about to sleep, but I wanted some tea," the adventurer said as she searched the crevice, tail flicking behind her in concentration. A triumphant look flashed across her face a moment later when she found what she was looking for and proceeded to pull out a tiny silver tin from between the crates. Alisaie was dumbfounded.

"Is there any particular reason why you hide your tea away in here rather than keep it in the kitchen like a sensible person?" she asked, incredulous.

"Yda's gotten a taste of it. She likes to down it all on her own in one go. Without asking," Poppy explained, sounding annoyed. When she hopped off the crate she shook the tin next to her ear and looked pleased when it sounded full.

Alisaie shook her head in disbelief before a yawn suddenly overtook her. She leaned back in her seat, back cracking from her poor posture. Exhaustion hit her in full force and she wondered just how long she'd slept there, hunched over her research.

"That book of yours bore you to tears?" Poppy teased as she pocketed the tin and walked over to where Alisaie sat. With much grace and little hesitation, she hopped up and sat on top of the table, long tail trailing behind her and flicking against the tome. She glanced over and squinted at the cover. "Sure looks boring." 

Alisaie shot the adventurer a pointed look as she shooed her tail off the book. "Not boring. Simply dry and wordy," she corrected. 

"So...it's boring then," Poppy shot back, head lolling over her shoulder and lopsided smile curling her lips. 

"Mericydian history may not be the most exciting of topics, but it may help in our endeavors regarding the coils. I do not intend to let our progress stop here." The words came out clipped and more defensive than she intended, but Alisaie knew that was the exhaustion talking. 

Poppy narrowed her eyes and looked ready to make a rude comment, but instead her face softened with what looked like sympathy. She tilted her head to the side for a moment as if considering something. "Want some tea?"

Alisaie raised a brow at her, once again dumbfounded. "You're offering me tea after you went to such great lengths to hide it?" 

"You look like you could use it." When her eyes flitted over a disheveled Alisaie, it made her feel a bit self conscious. "Come on, then." With that, she hopped off the table and made her way to the doors, not even bothering to look over her shoulder and make sure the other girl had followed.

It didn't seem like Alisaie had much say in the matter anyway. She sighed when she stood, tucking the tome beneath her arm before she followed Poppy out of the storeroom and across the hall. 

The small room they entered was even darker than the storeroom had been. Only a single lantern was lit, barely spreading its meager light past the counter it sat on. Poppy was already reaching into it with another candle and carried the small flame with her to light two others on the wall. With the space illuminated more, Alisaie could see the Scions' sparse kitchen. It wasn't the Bismark, but it had enough equipment and supplies to feed those who could cook for themselves.

Alisaie took a seat at a stool and placed the book on the counter. A kettle sat on the stove already steaming, likely prepared before the adventurer went to fetch her tin, which she emptied the contents of into a teapot before pouring water over the leaves. The warm scent of spice soon filled the air.

"What kind of tea is it?" Alisaie asked, curious to know what all the adventurer's fussing was about.

"It's a blend my mum makes. She grows it all herself," Poppy replied proudly as she fetched a second tea cup. "Thanalan tea leaves, dried pearl ginger, and cinnamon. I don't get to see her a lot so I don't have it often."

The sadness underlying her words made a frown tug at Alisaie's lips. "You need not share it with me, then."

Poppy shrugged. "I want to," she said as she poured the tea.

Alisaie felt a bit humbled by the gesture. She thought to make a quip about the adventurer's generosity to diffuse the feeling, but was too tired to be witty. Instead, she settled on watching her remove a jar of honey and what looked to be a small bottle of milk from the traveling pack slung over her shoulder. She opened the bottle, revealing a tiny fragment of ice crystal wedged into the cork that glimmered faintly in the lantern light. It was an ingenious solution thought up by vendors to protect their easily spoiled wares from the unforgiving heat of Thanalan.

The adventurer dolloped a generous spoonful of the honey into both cups and followed it with some of the cream, humming to herself as she stirred. It was odd, Alisaie realized, to see the vaunted champion of Eorzea do something so mundane as preparing tea. Perhaps it was because she was used to seeing her wield a dagger rather than a spoon.

Soon two steaming cups of tea were placed on the counter and Poppy was seated on the stool beside her. Alisaie lifted the cup to her lips and blew on it before she took a tentative sip. The tea had a rich, earthy spiced flavor that was complimented well by the aldgoat cream and floral sweetness of the honey. She gave an appreciative hum. She'd always been fond of ginger.

"Good, right?" Poppy asked, smiling into her own cup.

"I can see why Yda is so fond of it," Alisaie quipped in reply.

They both chuckled, but only a moment later silence hung between them like a thick curtain and Alisaie wasn't sure what to say. She'd never been the best at exchanging pleasantries. She busied herself with sipping the tea, appreciating the life it breathed into her exhausted body.

Her eyes wandered to the tome on the counter and thoughts of the dream pierced through the calm. The pulse of aether. Hitting the ground. Her grandfather's red eyes. The memories made dread coil around her insides, biting at her like an angry serpent.

Almost as if reading her thoughts, Poppy's voice broke through the silence. "You sure are all wound up tonight. Not even my tea helped," she pouted, feigning offense.

Alisaie looked over and saw how the adventurer watched her intently. Her elbow was propped up on the counter, chin resting on her open palm, and her other hand tapped against her cup lazily. She looked almost concerned. Alisaie felt herself bristle at allowing the other girl a glimpse of whatever emotion had crossed her face to prompt the comment.

"And you are far too calm," she shot back.

Poppy scoffed and another lopsided smile curled her lips. "Should I not be?"

Alisaie raised a brow at her carefree companion. "We still do not know how to enter the fragments of Dalamud, let alone what awaits us on our path to disable the coils," she reminded her pointedly.

"Is that what's got you so worked up?" She sounded surprised and chuckled, acting as if Alisaie had just mentioned the weather. "No point in worrying so much. I go in, chase all the bad things away, you turn off the Allagan garbage, and we're done. Simple as that, yeah?" When she finished explaining, she was still smiling that same grating smile and Alisaie stared at her in disbelief.

" _Simple_ as that? The primal that laid waste to Eorzea is steadily regenerating beneath Carteneau as we speak. Are you not the least bit concerned?"

Poppy shrugged as she took a sip of tea. "No," was her simple reply.

Alisaie raised her hands to her head to rub her temples, trying to push away the dull throb that had started behind her eyes. Her thoughts drifted back to her grandfather and her throat tightened with emotion.

"Do you truly care about any of this?" she asked, voice low and surprisingly even despite her mood. "Or is this simply another notch on your belt for you to boast about later? I do not think you realize what is at stake here- for me, for my family, and all of Eorzea." She spoke with a bit more venom than intended and almost regretted it when she saw how Poppy's face darkened.

The tail that had been pressed against the adventurer's leg moved to twitch irritably behind her and her ears flattened against her head. "I _do_ care. I said I'd help you get to the bottom of this. I'm not aiming to stop now," she snapped, visibly bristled by the accusation. Alisaie was surprised by how her mood had shifted in less than a breath. "Look, just because _you_ doubt yourself doesn't mean I've got to doubt myself. That's why you came to me, isn't it? I'm strong enough to do what you couldn't do on your own."

Alisaie winced at the comment. She remembered how Nael had deflected her paltry spell, how easily she was tossed by her grandfather's shade, and frowned, lips pursing into a thin line. "It comes so naturally to you, to be so sure of yourself. It should, I suppose, given your blessing." She stared into her cup, quietly seething, annoyed by the adventurer's overconfidence. Gods, how she wished she _could_ accomplish her goals on her own. "What I would not give for even half your strength," she whispered, feeling helpless and angry.

Poppy scoffed again. "Sure, you get strong, kill a few false gods, get patted on the back for it, and feel good about yourself," she said dismissively. “Careful what you wish for though. Being the Warrior of Light isn’t as glamorous as it seems.” Her elbows came to rest on the counter and she placed her chin atop her folded hands as she glared straight ahead at nothing in particular.

"How difficult it must be to be adept at everything you do and have the entire realm think highly of you," Alisaie said, sarcasm and a tinge of jealously dripping off her words. 

When she ventured to look to the side, she saw how the dim light of the lantern between them flickered over the adventurer's features, painting dark shadows across her face. Poppy tilted her head to look at Alisaie and when she did, the light reflected off her eyes the strange way it did for all Miqo'te, blocking out her irises and pupils with a bright teal shimmer that looked much like a coeurl's. Despite having seen it happen before, it was still unsettling for the brief moment it lingered, almost as if her eyes reflected the very Echo she was blessed with. When she laughed, and it sounded just as bitter as Alisaie felt.

"I'm not stupid. I know my place in all this."

Alisaie stared, unsure what to make of her words. "And what is that place, exactly?"

A smile pulled up the corners of Poppy's mouth, causing the shadows flickering across her face to stretch and warp in strange ways. "It's not obvious?" She paused to swirl the last bit of tea in her cup and downed it in one last gulp. When she placed the cup back on the counter with a loud _clink_ , she shrugged. "I'm just a weapon. A pretty little pawn to be ordered around by everyone. Go here, kill this, do this stupid, mundane chore. I'm a bloody mammet."

Alisaie was stunned into silence by Poppy's candid words. The mask had slipped and she could see the sadness and fear etched into her expression, exaggerated by the candlelight that danced around them. For a brief moment, she saw the Warrior of Light as who she truly was - someone far too young to be expected to carry the weight of the realm on her shoulders. Though she carried that weight with the effortless grace of someone twice her age, the strain had taken its toll. Alisaie was silent for a breath too long and Poppy steeled herself once more, hiding the raw emotions beneath the veil of her title.

"I mean, that's all I am to you, right? Eorzea's valiant blade in the dark at your beck and call for you to throw at all your problems." She met Alisaie's gaze and her sharp, stilted pupils cut into her like the daggers sheathed at her sides.

"That's not true," Alisaie replied quickly, feeling herself almost shrink beneath the adventurer's expectant eyes.

"What am I then?" There was a sharpness to her words, and anger, but there was also what sounded like desperation.

Perhaps Alisaie had thought of her that way once - a tool to be used to achieve her goals. But then she thought about how Poppy agreed to help her and the flicker of empathy in her eyes when she spoke of her grandfather. How she leapt before her to protect her from harm. How she fussed and cleaned her wounds. How she stood by her side through their whirlwind of an adventure and then offered her the small, comforting gesture of tea. Alisaie inhaled sharply, feeling humbled once more.

Though she was painfully smug, her strength was just as merciless as the tales of her spoke, warranting her the confidence she threw around. Whether it was all simply due to a sense of obligation or to fuel her own pride didn't matter. Poppy had done more for her than she could ever repay.

"I apologize," Alisaie said, ducking her head with a bit of shame. "My words were overly harsh. I did not mean to doubt your intentions and..." she trailed off and her mouth went dry when she caught a glimpse of how the adventurer eyed her with lingering sharpness.

She wanted to say that Poppy was wrong, that the Scions and people of Eorzea couldn't possibly see her as just a weapon, that she was so much more than that, but the words died in her throat. Instead she settled on something else, but her hands still fluttered nervously in her lap.

"You are a friend." Alisaie's words here quiet and edged with caution. "If you would like to be, that is," she added quickly, feeling unsure.

Poppy's long, pointed ears twitched forward with surprise. She was silent for a long moment as she searched Alisaie's face, looking wary. "Friend?" Her ears flicked sideways and then back, as if she wasn't sure how to feel. When the corners of her mouth twitched upward and her eyes softened, she realized it was the first genuine smile she'd seen from the adventurer. "I guess that's better than being rude to each other all the time," Poppy said, looking embarrassed by her own outburst as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I...think I'd like that. To be friends."

Alisaie met her gaze and thought about how very alone she must have felt, forced up onto a pedestal and made a shining beacon for the realm regardless of what her own wishes were.

"Then it's settled," she said, smiling as she extended her hand to the adventurer.

Poppy stared at it for a moment as if confused, but tentatively reached out and offered her own. With their palms pressed together, Alisaie felt how the adventurer's hand was rough and calloused against the softness of her own and glanced down to see the small, faint scars scattered across her skin. They shook hands and both lingered for a moment after, observing one another with caution and curiosity alike. Alisaie's hand retreated first. It came to rest in her lap beneath the counter as she blearily noted how warm the other woman's hand had been.

"Well, I have realized that I know very little about you. I would like to know more, if you would share with me," Alisaie suggested, trying to lighten the mood. She pushed away her empty teacup and cast a cursory glance at the tome before her. Her own worries could wait for a moment. "Not about the Warrior of Light, but about Poppy," she added with a smile.

Again, Poppy looked surprised. She tilted her head and the short, thick braids framing her face shifted as the lantern painted its dim light on the ruddy copper of her hair. "About...Poppy?" she asked and looked away from Alisaie to stare at the lantern. She seemed to regain her composure a moment later as another smile played across her lips, though it looked considerably more mischievous than before. "Well, for starters, that's not my real name."

Alisaie's brows shot up. "You're joking," she said quizzically. "I extend an olive branch and you respond by teasing me?" she asked, half-joking herself.

Poppy tilted her head to the side again, looking strangely delighted by Alisaie's surprise. "Am not! What, you don't think it's odd that my name isn't like Y'shtola's?"

Alisaie pondered for a moment and realized it was indeed strange. She tried to recall what little she had learned of Sun Seeker culture from the aforementioned Archon. "Perhaps you were not born to a tribe. I am not so presumptuous as to assume that," she replied coolly, but eyed her companion with lingering curiosity.  "However, if you are speaking the truth, then what _is_ your name?"

"It's a secret." Poppy had the gall to wink at her, which both irritated and baffled Alisaie.

"You would make such an absurd claim and then _not_ tell me?"

The adventure's eyes narrowed with amusement and she laughed. "Alright, I'll tell you. But you'd better keep it to yourself!"

With that, she leaned forward, balancing her chin on her open palm while her other hand gestured for Alisaie to come closer. She raised a brow and leaned in, feeling as though they were exchanging some sort of sordid gossip. To her surprise, her companion moved forward still, so close that Alisaie felt her warm breath on her ear when she whispered.

"L'arra."

The Miqo'te moved back, but was still close enough that Alisaie could see the tiny freckles peppered across her nose and cheeks and the pink shimmer of her full lips. She was far too close to be considered polite and Alisaie felt her face grow warm. She thought to move away, but was rooted in place by the bright eyes that stared at her.

"L'arra," she repeated quietly, trying to match Poppy's pronunciation.

For a few tense moments, the adventurer simply looked at her curiously. After a few fluttering blinks she nodded and moved away, leaving Alisaie feeling dazed. 

"How did you come to be known as Poppy?" she asked, trying vainly to ignore how her pulse had quickened.

Poppy swiveled on her stool and leaned her back against the counter. Alisaie was surprised to see her grimace. "It's an embarrassing story," she began, ears flicking backwards. "I'm not so good with letters. When I got to the adventurer's guild in Ul'dah, Momodi asked me to sign my name in the ledger. I wrote it so bad that she somehow misread it as Poppy. It just kind of stuck after that." 

When she was done explaining Alisaie nearly chuckled, but stifled it when she saw the pointed look her companion flashed her. "You did not think to correct her?"

"And admit I can't spell for shite? Gods, no," Poppy pouted, still looking embarrassed. "Anyway, Y'shtola and Minfilia are the only other ones who know my real name, but even they don't know _that_ part. So I guess we really are friends now." She grinned again, though the glint of her pointed fangs was far less menacing that time. "Better not spill my secrets though, or it'll be the end of you," she added and tried very hard to sound serious, but the softness of her eyes betrayed her.

"For fear of life and limb, I shall not tell a soul," Alisaie promised, amused by Poppy's absurdity. The Warrior of Light was truly a strange woman, but some small part of her admitted that it was all somehow charming. 

Poppy went on to tell her more about her life. She was cautious at first, but Alisaie asked questions and before long she was chatting up a storm, laying her journey out before them as one would weave a memoir.

At nine summers old, she'd left her birth tribe in Drybone with her mother to travel all across Thanalan. After Dalamud fell, they settled just outside Camp Bluefog at her mother's insistence that she do something to aid Eorzea during its time of recovery. She came to Ul'dah at sixteen summers and joined the gladiator's guild, selling her skill with a sword to the Blood Sands for coin. Coin that was spent, as she mentioned rather proudly, on purchasing the tavern her mother worked at to make it hers. The Scions found her not long after her eighteenth nameday, and the rest Alisaie knew.

Poppy prompted Alisaie to speak of herself as well. She briefly recounted her time at the Studium but spared the adventurer the mundane details of attending a prestigious school. She focused mostly on warmly recalling memories of her childhood in Sharlayan with her grandfather. Those times before Bahamut broke free of his fetters felt so long past.

When the conversation fizzled a long while later, Alisaie found that she'd become far more relaxed than she'd been over a bell ago when she first woke from her dream. She smiled to herself when she realized the adventurer's insistence to calm her frayed nerves had worked in the end.

"Well," Poppy said, stifling a yawn. She hopped off the stool and moved her arms upward to stretch. "I'm going to bed, and so should you."

Alisaie stood beside her and once more felt as exhaustion tugged heavily at her limbs. She bit her lip as she glanced at her companion, feeling words forming at the tip of her tongue. "Poppy, I..." she stumbled a bit, no longer sure how to form coherent thoughts through the weariness. "You have done much for all of Eorzea and I think my grandfather would have thought highly of your actions. I...thank you."

Poppy waved her off in her usual falsely humble way. "Someone's got to do the dirty work around here. Might as well be me," she said and shrugged as she began to make her way across the room. "Oh, Alisaie," she said suddenly, hand resting on the frame of the door where she paused. She looked over her shoulder as if she'd forgotten something. "Don't worry so much about being strong. I'll lend you my strength until you can find your own."

Alisaie was so caught off guard by her words that she remained silent for several breaths. She saw how the corners of Poppy's eyes crinkled as she smiled.

"Sweet dreams, my lady." With that, Poppy disappeared into the darkened hallway.

Alisaie stared after her for a long moment, leaning back against the counter, painfully aware of how warm her cheeks were. 

\- X -

The Burning Wall felt like a graveyard. The spires of crystal towering over Eastern Thanalan that painted the land with their ethereal, golden light were much the like countless headstones scattered across the Saint Adama Landama churchyard- they were reminders of what was lost during the Calamity. 

But, her grandfather was finally at rest. Though he'd become the very thing the Warrior of Light sought to extinguish, her merciless strength had turned into mercy in cutting him down. And for a second time Bahamut fell, never to rise again. The finality of it all put Alisaie's heart at ease.

The Warrior had agreed to join her on her excursion. As they made their way through the marred canyon, taking winding trails dotted with foliage and crossing bridges of crystal near the tepid waterfalls, Alisaie was struck with a nagging thought. She paused and turned on her heel to face the companion that trailed along behind her, clenching her fists and furrowing her brow. 

"The thought that the people of Eorzea shall ever remain ignorant of their savior - of your deeds...The injustice of it is almost too much for me to bear."

She'd expected Poppy to feign humbleness and shrug or smugly wave her off with some quip as she usually did. Instead, she was silent for a while, lips parted slightly in surprise.

"That doesn't matter," she said, shaking her head, looking almost meek. "I don't need the praise. I'm just glad I was able to help you." 

Alisaie a taken aback by her response. "How typical of you. Ever the heroine." Her words were edged slightly with tartness despite how dazed she felt. "But I want you to know that I will never forget," she said quietly, cheeks warm and lashes fluttering when she saw the glow of the Warrior's smile.

She had changed somehow in some small way after her encounters with Phoenix and Bahamut. She seemed to wear her title as a crown then, rather than a mask.

They continued onward until they reached the edge of the outcrop where Alisaie knelt. Though she mourned her grandfather's passing, she felt lighter than she had in years, as light as the moon daisy taken from her hand by the breeze. She watched the flower as it drifted over the canyon and made its slow descent into the labyrinth of crystal below, taking her sadness with it.

Life would go on.

When she rose from her knees, she told the Warrior that she meant to find her own reason to fight, to become Eorzea's blade of light in the darkness just as she had. She could not be outdone by Alphinaud, of course, as she mentioned pointedly, and they both laughed. 

Alisaie was saddened as she turned away from her companion, from the precious friend she'd made, but was carried forward by her resolve and the thought that they would one day meet again. She didn't make it very far before the sound of Poppy's voice rang in her ears.

"Alisaie!" 

She turned and was greeted by the Warrior barreling into her, practically knocking her over, and was stunned when Poppy pulled her into an embrace. 

"Take care of yourself, alright?" She tried to sound pragmatic, but concern crept into her voice as she briefly nuzzled her cheek against the shorter girl's snowy hair. "If you ever need help, my blades are yours." 

Alisaie was frozen with shock. Eventually, she managed to lift her hand and pat her companion on the back awkwardly, not sure what else to do. Perhaps she'd gotten more than she bargained for with this friendship, she realized bemusedly. 

"I appreciate the offer, but I must respectfully decline," Alisaie replied, words muffled by the Warrior's coat. "I plan to forge a blade of my own."

Poppy stepped away from her in a hurry and seemed embarrassed by her own forwardness, but the streams of sunlight that filtered through the crystals all around them set her bright eyes alight as she smiled. "I can't wait to see it."

They parted again after a brief goodbye and Alisaie set back on her path, feeling vitalized. Her fluttering heartbeats were hard to ignore, but she pushed the thoughts aside to examine at a later date. For now, she had a promise to keep. She didn't plan to disappoint Poppy when next they met.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew, this one was tricky. i had a hard time getting the flow of the conversation right and tying this back to _by your side_. i was really excited to write a bit more about poppy's backstory though! i've been working on fleshing her out more so this chapter was frustrating, but fun. 
> 
> i hope you enjoyed! see yall in my next fic (which i will inevitably write 500 more of).


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